Tasmanian activist denied bail in Russia

He's only been in the top job for a little over a year, but already Greenpeace Australia boss David Ritter is embroiled in the biggest crisis to hit the environment group since the Rainbow Warrior was bombed nearly three decades ago.

A group of Greenpeace activists - including Tasmanian man Colin Russell - is holed up in a freezing Russian jail charged with piracy, and face up to 15 years in prison if found guilty.

It's an unthinkable prospect for Mr Russell's wife Christine, who claims the Greenpeace radio operator has lost weight and is kept in his cell 23 hours a day.

Mr Ritter doesn't need reminding that Friday marks a month since the 30 Greenpeace activists were detained at gunpoint as they protested against oil drilling in the Arctic.

"With anyone I meet or anything I do at the moment, it's front and centre," he told AAP in Canberra.

"This is a pretty big thing to have happen in your day job."

He's been lobbying the Australian government to intervene on behalf of Mr Russell and three other protesters, who either hold dual passports or permanently reside here.